If you're reading this blog post with Internet Explorer you might want to consider a shift to Camino or Opera.

According to research by AptiQuant, Internet Explorer users have a lower than average IQ. The study gave web surfers an IQ test, then plotted their scores against the browser they used. The results suggested that Internet Explorer surfers had an average IQ in the low eighties. Chrome, Firefox and Safari rated over 100, while minority browsers Opera and Camino had an "exceptionally higher" score of over 120.

Sam's IQ likely to be 100+

Implausible? I don't know. But if you're still running this site on IE, this might give you some comfort: AptiQuant's CEO Howard stressed that using IE doesn't mean you have low intelligence. "What it really says is that if you have a low IQ then there are high chances that you use Internet Explorer".

Read the full article at BBC or use the time intelligently and learn more about Opera and Camino. And once you're done find out that this was all an elaborate hoax.

Today, the third part in a series of four called "Everything is a Remix" by Kirby Ferguson has been released. I've been following the first parts as well, and it is a very nicely done little collection of ideas revolving around creativity, the creation process, copyright and how many things we know and use today are a remix rather than a piece of original work. Good food for thought!

Here's part two and one:

As providers of the Amazee platform, in the past we have come into close contact with two of the Co-Working initiatives in Zurich, the Betahaus Zurich and the Hub Zurich crew. Having an open office culture at Amazee Labs, we are always interested in new ways of working, networking and collaborating.

Now the leftist German Weekly Jungle World has dedicated its most recent issue to Co-Working, with four rather interesting articles on the topic. They are thought-provoking and of course politically biased, but I found they are interesting reads nonetheless (in German, however).

Zur Maloche in die Lounge
Wärmestube für Yuppies?
Pro: Es geht um die Balance zwischen Leben und Arbeiten
Contra: Die Arbeit greift totalitär aufs ganze Leben über

What are your thoughts on the Co-Working culture?

(Image by visualpun.ch, CC)

I am back in Berlin for the re:publica XI conference, for another round of exciting exchange of ideas and, networking with other Webster mates.

This year, it seems that there is a strong focus on political and societal shifts induced by Digital Media. After a keynote on Design Thinking (Design is too important to leave it to Designers!) which called for a strong focus on a human(istic), sensible interaction design, the sessions I saw were very much about what happened in the Arab World over the last months and how citizen-made media has changed the game of news broadcasting.

Gabriella Coleman of the NYU retraced Anonymus' origins on the 4Chan network and stressed that over the years there has been a shift from a massive trolling movement ("The offensive Internet") to a serious challenger of what the activists behind Anonymous perceive as evil institutions.

Another interesting panel entitled "Modern revolutions are digital revolutions" discussed the shifts in the Arab World and tried to draw parallels to civil society movements towards political change in Sub-Sahara Africa. Ludger Schadomsky of Deutsche Welle argued that Social Media's role in the Arab revolution(s) must not be overemphasized, as Al Jazeera has probably played a more pivotal role. Hence, traditional media (as well as telecommunications providers) will still be a target of dictatorial governments when it comes to exercising control over communications channels. – Also the panelists argued that there is still a pivotal lack of civil society in Sub-Sahara African countries that prevents widespread, sustainable political change towards more democracy.

Solana Larsen of Global Voices then spoke about media consumption and how mass media fails to cover developments in world politics that are happening in non-Western countries time and again. Global Voices tries to keep track of things happening in the regions of the World which are not regularly highlighted by global news coverage. For example, Global Voices bloggers from the respective regions have writing about the developments in Tunisia or the Ivory Coast, long before mainstream media have picked up on the events unfolding. Next up, according to Solana is Gabon.

Tomorrow, more of the same.

Image by re:publica 2011, CC